The Third Cohen
by KiKiCohen
Summary: Sixteen years after the latest episode, Gabrielle Cohen, the newest member of the Cohen family, has trouble dealing just like her mother does.


**Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with the O.C. or FOX, I don't own anything except seasons 1-3 and a too big brody poster.**

**A/N: i don't know what the world is going to be like in 16 years, so I'm going by life today. This is sixteen years after the latest OC episode. SPOILER WARNING FOR UPCOMING EPISODES.**

**The downfall of yet another Newport citizen.**

**-----**

"Gabrielle Cohen!" Kirsten screamed up the stairs, "Get down here. NOW!" It had been over sixteen years since Sandy pulled up to the Newport Yacht Club in the sentimental mail truck. It had been sixteen crazy, stressful, and wonderful years.

"What exactly do you want?" Gabrielle trudged down the stairs, clutching at her head. She was stunning, she looked exactly like Kirsten had in high-school. Her golden blonde hair was pulled back in a messy bun and she wore a too-small tanktop with her boxers. There were apparent dark circles under her eyes, which she couldn't keep open.

"Don't think I didn't hear you come in late last night," Kirsten stood staring at her with hands on her hips, "I was sixteen once." Gabrielle rolled her eyes,

"Yeah, in the dark ages." Kirsten took a step back,

"In that case, just like in the Dark Ages, you're grounded until Thanksgiving next week. Ryan and Seth are coming home in three days and you're going to be spending some quality time with them."

"Oh my god, are you serious mom?" Gabrielle barked, "Its Saturday!" Kirsten smirked,

"Yes, I'm serious." Gabrielle rolled her eyes and turned around to go back up the stairs.

Kirsten walked into the den and looked at the pictures on the mantle. One stuck out more than the others, it was of Sandy, Seth, Ryan, and herself before Gabrielle had come into the world, before their house had been destroyed in the earthquake. Before Kirsten had been in the hospital for months. Kirsten thought back to the days that Seth and Ryan went to Harbor and sighed. She didn't realize how simple it was to raise a comic-book loving son.

She couldn't wait until Tuesday. Ryan and Taylor would come over with their daughter Marissa, Seth and Summer would come over, Kaitlin and her fiance would come over. Julie and Bullit would come over. Things would feel like they had been years before. She looked over at Sandy walking into the kitchen.

"Good morning baby," Sandy grabbed her by her waist and kissed her on the forehead.

"Oh, hey sweetie," Kirsten smiled, returning the kiss, "I talked to Gabrielle, shes grounded until Thanksgiving, unless she gets repealed on good behavior. I hate locking her up."

Even though they had tried to rebuild their house just as it had been before, it still didn't hold the memories that the old house had. Sure, Gabrielle, the love of Kirsten's life had been raised in this house, but it just hadn't been the same. Gabrielle had fit in well at Harbor. She had friends, a boyfriend, and sure Kirsten knew she drank, but she made good grades, played varsity soccer, and still managed to create a relationship with her brothers. Gabrielle had practically raised herself, when she was seven Kirsten had been diagnosed with leukemia.

_"Mommy, can I have a friend over to play this weekend?" Gabrielle asked._

_"No sweetie, you are going to spend the weekend with Aunt Julie!" I could barely speak due to pains in my stomach._

_"But mommy..."_

_"Gabrielle, your mom is going to be in the hospital again this weekend, and I need you to be a good girl," Sandy cut in._

These were the memories that broke Kirsten's heart in two. For a year Kirsten had fought with the illness. It was for the next six months after this that Kirsten had laid in bed almost all day, nearly depressed. These were the days where she really couldn't thank God for her life, because of all the crap she had been through.

"Your mind is running, isn't it?" Sandy asked, "I can read you like a book."

Kirsten shrugged, "Being nostalgic. No big deal."

"Well, I'm going to go talk to our princess," Sandy announced, "You keep reminiscing, but don't think too hard." Kirsten smiled.

Sandy slowly walked up the stairs, walking past Seth's old room. He sighed, he remembered the time he had gone into the room to talk to Seth about Kirsten's problem. He remembered discovering Seth and Summer making out for the first time. He remembered helping Seth build Captain Oats a stable, he sighed again.

"Gabber?" he knocked on the door, "Can I join you?" The door slowly opened to reveal her room. Her big cast iron bed, wood floors, candles, and dark orange colors. Pictures hung all over the walls.

"Hi dad," her eyes were red and her cheeks were tear stained.

"Hey baby, are you okay?" he asked, sitting down next to her. He looked at the picture in the frame on her bedside table, it was Seth, Ryan, and herself at Ryan and Taylor's wedding.

"I'm fine, really," she looked at him, "Trust me daddy."

"I do trust you babe, but do you understand why you're grounded?" He looked deep into her eyes but for the first time he noticed there was nowhere to look.

"Because I missed curfew," she said, "We've been through this before you know."

"And why else..." he asked, "Nothing gets past your mom." Gabrielle let out a long sigh,

"I was drinking..." Sandy patted her on the back,

"I wish you could have been here to see the first time Seth was drunk. But thats besides the point, I really don't think you're going to learn your lesson...are you?"

"Dad!" she cried, "Shutup!" Sandy chuckled,

"I love you too baby." Sandy walked out of the room just in time for Gabrielle to reach under her pillow and pull out the flask. She had found it buried deep down in a box at Julie's a few years ago. She knew it had been her moms, she could just tell. Gabrielle shook it and sighed, taking a quick sip of the strong liquid. If only her parents knew her, really knew her.

She opened up her underwear drawer and stuck her hand deep into the drawer, revealing a bag of marijuana. She stuffed the bag back into the drawer.

She was a modern day Marissa Cooper, substance would allow her downfall.

-----

It was 10:15, and she assumed her mom was in bed. As much as she loved her mom, she knew how hard her life had been. From losing her dad, to rehab, to having cancer, bad luck didn't stop for her. Gabrielle was almost afraid of her mom, what would happen if she hugged her too hard. Would she snap like a twig? She wished that she was closer to her brothers' age. She knew that in Kirsten's book she would never be Ryan or Seth. She slowly opened her door and walked to the stairs at the end of the hall, leading into their garage. She opened and shut the door silently, as planned, and was thus free. She saw the SUV at the end of the street waiting for her.

"Hey..." her best friend, Anna, smiled at her. Gabrielle looked at her,

"Can we just...just go..."

"Just drive?" Anna asked.

"Yeah, just...just drive."

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**Yay chapter one is down...!**


End file.
